The Civil Aviation
Department is investigating a number of incidents in which pilots of
Hong Kong Airlines disregarded instructions by traffic controllers.
Secretary
for Transport and Housing Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said in none of the
cases was passenger safety compromised, but that even one incident is
one too many.
The department yesterday confirmed a report it has
asked the airline to submit a report on its safety. This was after its
flights were involved in nine incidents.
They included pilots
taxiing onto the runway at Hong Kong International Airport without
permission and failing to follow instructions from traffic controllers
between August and September.
Seven of the incidents were
technical infringements committed by pilots who did not follow
instructions on maintaining altitudes and directions.
Two
incidents were related to pilots deviating from instructions. On August
8, the pilot misunderstood a clearance given to another flight for
takeoff.
The department said the flight had entered the taxiway
and was found out by air traffic controllers. "As there was no other
plane on the runway, the flight was allowed to proceed for takeoff for
reasons of safety," a spokeswoman said.
In another incident on August 20, a flight to Singapore wrongly interpreted an instruction from traffic controllers.
The pilots took a right turn when asked not to turn right.
Asked
about the various incidents, Cheung said: "From my viewpoint, one
incident is still one too many. I hope that airlines can strictly abide
by guidelines as they involve the safety of flights."
Cheung said there are clear requirements stating the distance and altitudes between flights.
Between September 2012 and August this year, the department recorded 20 incidents in which pilots did not follow instructions.
A
spokeswoman for Hong Kong Airlines said last night that they have
always put flight safety as top priority, adding that the incidents
mentioned were either caused by weather conditions, similar flight
numbers and other factors.
She stressed the incidents posed no
flight safety implication, and that it has already submitted an
improvement report to the department.
Source: http://www.thestandard.com.hk
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